Nick Heidfeld

Nick Heidfeld, frequently referred to as Quick Nick, (born May 10, 1977) is a German Formula One auto racing driver for the BMW Sauber factory team. He lives in Stafa, Switzerland with his girlfriend Patricia, daughter Juni (born July 2005) and son Joda (born July 2007).

At the seventh race of the 2005 season at the Nürburgring circuit, his home Grand Prix, Heidfeld took his first ever pole position. He also achieved his best position to-date (2nd) with Williams in Monaco, which he equalled at the Nürburgring.

Heidfeld missed the Italian and Belgian Grands Prix due to injuries suffered in a testing accident. Scheduled to come back for Brazil, he was injured again when hit by a motorbike when out cycling, and therefore forced to sit out the rest of the season.

Heidfeld gained a contract with his then current team's (Williams) engine supplier, BMW, who bought the Sauber team and entered Formula One as BMW Sauber for the 2006 Formula One season. The contract is believed to be for two years, with an option for a third, in 2008.Heidfeld driving for BMW Sauber at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

During 2006 Heidfeld scored points several times for his new team. At Melbourne he was running as high as second until the safety car came out. He eventually finished 4th. At Indianapolis, he was eliminated in a spectacular first lap accident which saw fellow drivers, Scott Speed, Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya also go out. Heidfeld's car was launched into a triple barrel roll, the first of his career and the second of the season (Christijan Albers suffered one at the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix). He and the other drivers all walked away unharmed. The Hungarian Grand Prix saw Heidfeld give BMW Sauber their first podium and best result of the year when he finished 3rd. He drove from 10th on the grid to finish on the podium.

At the end of 2006, Heidfeld was quoted as going on the verbal attack against media oversaturation of the talent of teammate Robert Kubica, despite scoring more points than the Pole. This has happened three times in the German's career, in 2001 when he was teammates with Kimi Räikkönen (by season's end he beat the Finn by 12 points to 9) and in 2002 when he was teammates with Felipe Massa (beating Massa by 7 points to 4); Räikkönen and Massa form the 2007 Ferrari line-up.Heidfeld driving for BMW Sauber at the 2007 British Grand Prix.

Heidfeld has started the 2007 Formula One season strongly. In Bahrain, he chased down and overtook reigning world champion Fernando Alonso, finishing half a minute ahead of his BMW teammate Kubica. He has scored three fourth places, a sixth and a second place at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he also out-qualified both Ferraris, equaling his best ever finish to a Formula One race. After retiring from fifth place at Indianapolis, he was outscored by team-mate Kubica at both Magny-Cours and Silverstone. At an eventful European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, Heidfeld's home circuit, where he collided with Kubica on the opening lap, he managed to recover and overtake Kubica on the final lap despite taking six pitstops in the race. Nick returned to form in Hungary, qualifying second and finishing third to score his and BMW's second podium of the season. Since then he has finished 4th at the Turkish and Italian Grand Prix, and 5th in the Belgian Grand Prix.